Abstract: Clemizole and clemizole analog compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions of the same, are useful in methods of treating a host infected with a virus from the Flaviviridae family of viruses, methods of inhibiting HCV replication in a host, methods of inhibiting the binding of NS4B polypeptide to the 3?UTR of HCV negative strand RNA in a host, and methods of treating liver fibrosis in a host.

Abstract: A method of annealing a wafer in a rapid thermal annealer is disclosed. The walls of the chamber are heated more rapidly than is the wafer. In a preferred embodiment, the interior of the graphite walls of the annealer is lined with a molybdenum sheet which is open toward the lamps that heat the chamber. Thus, the walls heat very rapidly to a temperature greater than the condensation point of arsenic, preventing arsenic condensation on the walls. Effective annealing can be achieved at wall temperatures in the range of 500.degree. to 600.degree. C. Prior to the heat ramp up, an arsenic atmosphere, preferably trimethylarsenic (TMAs) at an appropriate overpressure is introduced. This overpressure is maintained both during the heating and cooling cycle. By the use of this method, the exposure time for annealing can be reduced from prior times of as much as 20 minutes to as little as 10 seconds.

Abstract: A fiber optic recirculating memory comprises a splice-free length of optical fiber which forms a loop that is optically closed by means of a fiber optic coupler. The coupler couples an optical signal input pulse to the loop for circulation therein, and outputs a portion of the signal pulse on each circulation to provide a series of output pulses. A pump source is included to pump the fiber loop with a pump signal having sufficient intensity to cause stimulated Raman scattering in the fiber loop, and thereby cause amplification of the circulating signal pulse. The fiber characteristics, coupler characteristics, and a pump power are selected to yield a Raman gain which compensates for the total round-trip losses in the fiber loop, so as to provide an output pulse train of constant amplitude pulses. The invention may be implemented utilizing a standard coupler with a pump signal modulation technique.